Top 10: Profitable Dead Celebrities

Number 7

Tupac Shakur

Claim to fame: RapperDied: September 13, 19962005 earnings: $7 million Sources of posthumous revenue: Over the course of his career, the West Coast rap star vaulted hundreds of songs that have been slowly released to the public since his death by Amaru Entertainment, a record label founded by his mother, Afeni Shakur, in 1997. Afeni successfully sued Tupac’s label, Death Row, to gain control of her son’s music.More than 10 posthumous albums — most of which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top 100 — have combined to sell in the tens of millions of dollars. His success even extends beyond music: The Oscar-nominated documentary of his life, entitled Tupac: Resurrection, paved the way for a couple of books, including an MTV-published official biography.

Number 6

Johnny Cash

Claim to fame: MusicianDied:September 12, 20032005 earnings: $7 million Sources of posthumous revenue: The Man in Black’s popularity is still on the rise thanks to the Oscar-nominated biopic Walk the Line (2005), which grossed approximately $120 million in ticket sales. Potential revenue from the DVD and American V — the last volume of Cash’s recorded material that is due to drop in 2006 — have yet to determine the peak of Cash’s earnings.In 2005, premier auction house Sotheby’s sold off some of Cash’s and June’s instruments, such as a 1997 Martin black custom-made guitar and the piano that appeared in the “Hurt” video; the auction brought in $3.9 million. Preparation H, a hemorrhoid relief cream, wanted to use Cash’s classic song “Ring of Fire”as the background music for an ad, but Cash’s managing estate sensibly denied the request.

Number 5

Theodor “Dr. Seuss” Geisel

Claim to fame: AuthorDied:September 24, 19912005 earnings: $10 million Sources of posthumous revenue: Sam still doesn’t eat green eggs and ham, but Theodor Geisel’s children’s books are still selling by the millions each year. They are read at such a rate that Geisel’s birthday has been declared Read Across America Day. His catalog includes 44 books that have been published in 20 languages and have sold more than 500 million copies.

Throw some stuffed animals, books on tape, two blockbuster movies, and memorabilia into the mix, and it becomes clear why Geisel’s profits reached nearly $30 million in the past two years combined. Also, with the Seuss Landing attraction at the Universal Studios theme park in Orlando, Florida, it can be expected that his estate receives a decent portion of the park’s $49.95 entrance fee.

Who gets the cash: Dr. Seuss Enterprises, founded by his widow Audrey Geisel in 1993, manages the estate.

Number 4

Andy Warhol

Claim to fame: ArtistDied:February 22, 19872005 earnings: $16 million Sources of posthumous revenue: Warhol’s revenues are derived from the sale of his paintings, sculptures and drawings. While the originals cost a pretty penny, his innovative estate managers have capitalized on the idea of decorating scarves, umbrellas and purses with his artwork. His estate, the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, is a non-profit organization whose mission is the advancement of the visual arts. In 2006, it donated $750,000 to help rebuild museums and other arts centers damaged by hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Who gets the cash: The Andy Warhol Foundation gives all its profits to charity. The richest Beatle, a high-earning deceased cartoonist and the No. 1 richest dead celeb…